When ray of light passes through a parallel-sided block of glass or Perspex. What can you say about its final direction of travel? Enable Ginger Cannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection or reload the browser Disable in this text field Rephrase Rephrase current sentence Edit in Ginger ×

When the ray passes through a parallel-sided block of glass or Perspex, it returns to its original direction of travel, although it is shifted to one side. When we look at the world through a window, we are looking through a parallel-sided sheet of glass. We do not see a distorted image because, although the rays of light are shifted slightly as they pass through the glass, they all reach us travelling in their original direction. Refraction occurs when a ray of light travels from one material to another. But we will notice that the direction in which the ray bends depends on whether it is entering or leaving the glass.

The speed of light in a block of glass is found to be 1 . 90 × 10 8 ms - 1 . Calculate the refractive index of the glass. (The speed of light in a vacuum is 3 × 10 8 ms - 1 )

Given: The speed of light through glass = 1 . 90 × 10 8 ms - 1 , The speed of light in vacuum = 3 × 10 8 ms - 1 . The Refractive index is defined as the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum or air to the speed of light in the medium. In terms of the formula we have, η = c v Where c is the speed of light in a vacuum, v is the speed of light in a medium. By substituting, η = 3 × 10 8 1 . 9 × 10 8 = 1 . 57 .

E M B I B E

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.7

HARD

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Earn 100

Draw a diagram to show how a ray of light passes through a parallel-sided block of glass or Perspex.

Important Questions on Light

HARD

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.7

When ray of light passes through a parallel-sided block of glass or Perspex. What can you say about its final direction of travel?

MEDIUM

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.8

A vertical ray of light strikes the horizontal surface of some water. What is its angle of incidence?

MEDIUM

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.8

A vertical ray of light strikes the horizontal surface of some water. What is its angle of refraction?

MEDIUM

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.1

Why do we see a distorted view when we look through a window that is covered with raindrops?

MEDIUM

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.11

Look at the table. What is the value of the refractive index of a diamond?
Question Image

HARD

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.12

The figure shows what happens when a ray of light enters blocks of two different materials, A and B
Question Image

(a) In which material does the light travel more slowly, A and B? Explain how you can tell from the diagrams.
(b) Which material, A or B, has the greater refractive index?

HARD

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.13

Light travels more quickly through water than through glass. If a ray passes from glass into water, which way will it bend: towards or away from the normal?

HARD

Upper Secondary: IGCSE

IMPORTANT

Cambridge IGCSE® Physics Coursebook Second Edition>Chapter 13 - Light>Questions>Q 13.14

The speed of light in a block of glass is found to be